Collapsible container



Oct. 16, 1934.

D. P. WHEELER COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed July 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZMCJOL .WMZ/(TO $6M (if/mm.

ATTORNEY-n 4 J was 316, 1934. D. P. WHEELER GOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed July 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lll hmilll MN ilLiil N H mmU mi ME INVENTOR.

I ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 STATE-S PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER a corporation of Ohio Application July 17, 1933, Serial No. 680,765

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cartons or collapsible containers made of cardboard, or like material.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple yet sturdy carton or container for 55 the transportation of bottles, or the like.

Another object is to provide a sturdy carton or container for the transportation of bottles, or the like, the body whereof is made in one piece of cardboard.

A further object is to provide a carton of sturdy construction with improved means thereon for forming a handle grip on the upper ends of a pair of interior partition elements which divide the carton into two separate compartments, the body of the carton, including said partition elements and the handle grip, being formed from a single piece of stock.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a carton of sturdy construction having improved means thereon for forming a double handie grip on the upper ends of a pair of interior partition elements which divide the carton into two separate compartments, the body of the carton, including said interior partition elements and handle grip, being formed from a single piece of cardboard, the one-piece carton body including also double or overlapping protective flaps for both top and bottom of each of the two carton compartments.

A further object is to provide a carton structure suitable for the transportation of bottles having the several connected parts thereof so formed as to permit ready shipment thereof in large quantities in collapsed condition, and readily erectable for use as required.

Another object is to provide an improved type of cardboard carton for the transportation of bottles, or the like, with improved means thereon 4 for forming an exterior handle grip on'the adjacent upper ends of a pair of interior partition members which divide the carton into two separate compartments, the handle elements being adapted, when not in use in the erected carton, to be folded over and secured to the exterior upper wall or top flapfof each carton compartment.

Other and more specific objects of the invention are mentioned and described herein.

The invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a perspective of the erected carton;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevational view of the erected carton shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the erected carton illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the carton top partially closed;

Figure 7 illustrates the developed blank of cardboard 01E the carton body, showing the various flaps and handle grip elements together with the various scoring lines whichpermit the folding of the blank into the carton form; and

Figure 8 illustrates the flat collapsed condition of the carton body after the initial step of erection thereof has been taken.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures on the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings, and particularly to Figures 2 and 5, it will be apparent from the appended descriptive matter, that my improved carton is provided with two independent compartments A and B, respectively, which are formed on opposite sides of the two upright adjacent partition elements 8 and 11, the latter carrying the handle grip elements 9 and 12, respectively, which are integral with said partition elements and the bottom walls '7 and 10,

' respectively, as hereinafter described.

The one-piece blank from which the carton body is constructed is illustrated in Fig. 7, and this blank may comprise the two carton side wall sections 3 and 4 connected together at their side edges by one of the cai'ton end'wall sections 5, the second end wall section .6 being connected with the opposite edge of side wall section 3, allof the box or carton sections 3, 4, 5 and 6 bein formed and arranged in rectilinear alignment. The lower end of the side wall section 3 has the half bottom wall section 7 connected therewith, the latter being extendeddownward to provide the interior panel or partition element 8 thereon, the extreme lower end of the latter having a handle section 9 integral therewith.

Similarly, the side wall 4 of the carton has a half bottom section 10 integral therewith, the latter :being ,xtended downward to provide the interior panel or partition element 11, the extreme lower end of the latter having a handle grip section 12 integral therewith. .The handles 9 and 12 are-provided with the hand holes 13-and 13' respectively. The score lines 14 and 15 on the opposite edges of the end wall section" 5 en able the side wall sections 3 and 4 to be readily bent and folded toward each other and into intii 10 mate opposed relation. The score line 16 formed between the end wall section 6 and the side wall section 3 enables the former to be bent inward (to the right on the drawings) to ultimately position it in opposed relation to the end wall section 5. A relatively narrow securing flap 17 formed on the outer side edge of the side wall section 4, and bendable on score line 18, is adapted to be glued, or otherwise secured to the outer side edge 19 of the end wall section 6, and when so secured, the carton then assumes the fiat form shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, which is the collapsed condltion in which heavy shipments thereof may be made.

The side wall section 3 has the top cover section 20 formed thereon at the upper end thereof and bendable on score line 21, said top cover having an end securing flap 22 formedacross the end edge thereof, said securing flap being bendable inward on score line 23. Similarly, the side wall section 4 has the top cover 24 formed on the upper end thereof, said top cover being bendable on score line 25, said top cover having an end securing flap 26 formed thereon and extending across the end edge thereof, said securing flap being bendable inward on score line 2'2.

The carton bottom panel 7 has spaced parallel score lines 28 and 29 on opposite sides thereof to enable it to be bent on line 26 relatively to the side wall section 3, and. to enable the interior panel section 8 to be bent-upward on line 29 in relation to bottom panel '3', as hereinafter described. Similarly, the carton bottom panel 10 has spaced parallel score lines 30 and 31 on. opposite sides thereof to enable it to be bent on line 30 relatively to the side wall section 4, and to enable the interior panel section 11 to be upwardly bent or folded on line 31 in relation to the bottom panel 10, as hereinafter described.

The end wall section 6 has an extension 3 formed on the lower end thereof, the latter bein bendable on score line 33 to provide an outside protective bottom flap for the two bottom panels '7 and 10, as hereinafter described. The bottom flap 32 is provided with a securing flap 34 extending across the outer edge thereof, the latter being bendable on score line 35 for securing the flap 32 in juxtaposition over' the bottom panels 7 and 10, as hereinafter described.

A pair of top end flaps 36 and 37 are formed on the upper end of the end wallpanel 6, each of which is independently bendable on score line 38, and each being substantially, in length, equal to one half the length of the carton body transversely thereof. The flap 3'? is adapted to be folded beneath the top cover 20, and the flap,36 is adapted to be folded beneath the top cover 24, both as protective or buiferelements, as hereinafter described. I

The side wall panel 5 has a pair of top end flaps 39 and 40 formed on the upper end thereof, each ofsaid flaps being independently bendable on score line 41, the flap 39 being adapted to be folded beneath top cover 24, and flap 40 being adapted to be folded beneath top cover 20, flap 39 cooperating with flap 36, andflap 40 cooperating with flap 3'1 to provide a double cover or protective top, wall for the carton contents.

The top wall flap or panel 20 may be provided with a pair of locking tabs 42 and 43 adapted to have the handle section 9 bent over and thrust thereunder to releasably latch said handle in collapsed position; and top wall section'24 may be provided with a pair of locking tabs 44 and 45 adapted to receive the point of the handle section 12 when the latter is bent over into a collapsed position, as hereinafter described. Each of the tabs 42, 43, ,44 and 45 maybe formed by an arcuate slit formed in the top flap of the carton, the opposite ends of the slit having straight slits joining therewith to facilitate the outward tilting movement of said tabs. The score line 46 may divide handle 9 from the par= tition panel 8, and score line 41' may divide the handle section 12 from the partition paneiii, to enable said handle sections to be collapsed flat against the top walls 20 and 24, as hereinafter described.

In the initial step of the erection of my improved carton the side wall panel 4 may be folded over on score line 14 to place the securing flap 1'? above the side wall panel 3. Thereafter, the end wall panel 6 is folded inward on score line 16 and placed above the flap 1'? which is then glued to the panel 6 at 13.

The completion of this initial step produces a formation which is illustrated in Fig. 8 which is the flat collapsed condition of the carton for shipment thereof in packages to the consumer or distributor. When further and complete erection of the carton is desired the structure illustrated in Fig. 8, and described herein, is opened to a semi box-like condition which places the end wall panels 5 and 6 in opposed parallel relation and at substantially right angles to the side 1 wall panels 3 and 4. Each of the partition panels 8 and 11 are then successively bent and folded inward on score lines 28, 29 and 30 and 31, respectively, and thrust upward through the carton interior to position the panels 8 and 11 in back to back relation within the carton body and substantially midway between the side wall panels 3 and 4. This step positions the bottom walls '7 and 10in position to close the lower end of the compartments B and A, respectively, and 1 definitely forming said compartments divided from each other. This'step also projects the handle sections 9 and 12 through and beyond the carton interior and top.

The bottom protective flap 32 is then folded and 10 and the side wall panel 5, thereby con- 1 cealing and protecting said bottom flaps and aiding in preventing displacement thereof. Fig. 3. The carton being now closed at the bottom and .open at the top thereof, is now readyfor the reception-of the bottles, or other suitable objects, intended to be placed in compartments A and B.

' When three bottles are placed in each of the twocompartments of the carton they may be separated from each other by a U-shaped par- 1 tition element 48 within which one of the bottles isarranged, the end walls of said partition being engaged by the bottles in the ends of the compartment. The bottles are supported by the bottom walls 7 and 10 and the protective flap 32, and a proportion of the bottle weight is transferred to the panels 8 and 11 which have the partment B, and similarly, the inside top flaps 37 and 40 are folded inward on their score lines 38 and 41, to cover the bottles in compartment A. Tocompletethecartonerection andclosure the outside top cover20 andtheend securing eirscore flap 22 thereon, are folded inward on lines 21 and 23, respectively, the flap 22 being thrust downward into the interstice between the side edges of the inside top flaps 87 and 40, which prevents outward bulging oi the side wall panel 3, and panel 8, thereby completely covering said inside flaps. 4

Similarly, the outside top cover 24 and its end securing flap 26 are folded inward on their score lines 25 and 27, respectively, the ilap 26 being thrust downward into the carton interior between the panel 11 and the edges of the two inside top flaps 36 and 39, thereby preventing outward bulging of the side wall panel 4 and fully covering said inside top flaps, and thereby effecting a double wall protection for the bottle tops in compartment A, Similar double wall protection for the bottle tops is effected by the flaps 3'1 and 40 and top cover 20.

The filled carton unit may now be readily lifted and transported by the handles 9 and 12. But if the operator desires to operate otherwise the handles 9 and 12 may be laterally collapsed on their score lines 46 and 47, respectively, and their points may be thrust beneath the tabs 42, 43 (for handle 9) and tabs 44 and 45 (for handle 12) all oi which are readily upwardly tiltable to enable said operations to be effected.

I claim:

1. In a container, comprising a pair of separate double partitioned compartments, a one piece blank of cardboard, including a pair of panels to be arranged in back-to-back relation to form a double wall partition for said compartments, said panels extending to the exterior of the container to provide a handle grip when the container is erected, each of said handle elements being nanny collapsible. bottom wall flaps connected with said partition panels, side wall flaps connected with said bottom flaps, end wall flaps connected with said side wall iiaps, a top wall nap connected with one end of each of said-side wall flaps and adapted to be folded inwardly toward said double wall partitionto close the upper end of said compartments when the container is erected, and securing tabs provided on each oi said top wall flaps to be engaged by said handle elethe lower end of each side wall panel, each of said halt bottom sections having a panel section connected therewith which is adapted to term one wall of said compartment double wall and provided with a handle portion at the end. thereof, a one-piece compartment bottom flap connected with one of said end wall sections and adapted to cover said two half bottom sections when the carton is assembled or erected, a pair of top compartment flaps on the end of each side wall panel, and a top compartment closure flap on the top end 0! each side wall panel and provided with an end securing ilap and toldable downward into one of the compartments alongside of one 0! said double wall panels.

DONALD P. WHEELER. 

